Solarwinds Certified Professional - Free Cert - How to

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

24 - 48 hours in most cases. As you have sent the mail on Saturday or Sunday. You should expect a response today or tomorrow at the earliest.

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

Yep its a multiple choice. I am not sure about the score report. But hoktauri got a score so I believe you get a score after the exam.

@cruwl

pert · July 2013

If I'm proficient with Solarwinds and have been using it for a year, how much study time should I allocate for this, roughly?

tpatt100 · July 2013

I got a reply back in about 48 hours. I replied back with additional information, not sure what the window of opportunity is to take the test once they approve me.

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

It gives you 3 attempts and 1 year to complete the exam.

cruwl · July 2013

Well I just took the test, you're given 90 minutes to complete it. I think I did it in about an hour.
Passed with 54/77 correct, 74%. Passing score is 70%.

Per the orientation video, I should receive a Cert in the mail in a couple weeks I guess, Until then I have a PDF version I can print out.

The first 3 sections of the test were all about networking/Trouble shooting and I found it pretty easy. the last 2 were more related to Solarwinds, Ive been using Solarwinds since March when I started my current position. Even the topics I didn't know I felt I could make pretty good educated guesses at and easily eliminate 2 possible options right off the get go.

Good luck to any one else thinking of taking it.

PS The PDF Cert shows its good for 5 years from the date listed on the cert.

ChooseLife · July 2013

Sounds Good wrote: »

I've e-mailed both people addresses that were supplied in this thread. Heard nothing back yet. How long did it take for you guys?

I submitted my details on Friday, and received a response this afternoon. They must be busy with all the TE members flooding them with requests

Slowhand · July 2013

I sent my email off, got a response, then signed up for thwack so I could get an ID, and got a response back from the actual SolarWinds membership page admin. I've got my login and I can sign up for the exam and for their intro course. Looks like it's all on the up-and-up.

I think I'm going to put this one off until I've got a few other things off my plate, (ahem *Microsoft*,) since there's plenty of time to sit for the exam.

Sounds Good · July 2013

Slowhand wrote: »

I sent my email off, got a response, then signed up for thwack so I could get an ID, and got a response back from the actual SolarWinds membership page admin. I've got my login and I can sign up for the exam and for their intro course. Looks like it's all on the up-and-up.

I think I'm going to put this one off until I've got a few other things off my plate, (ahem *Microsoft*,) since there's plenty of time to sit for the exam.

Did they e-mail you AFTER you signed up for thwack and filled out the form?

I filled it out Thursday and Friday and still haven't received a response.

pert · July 2013

Since it was free, I took this today without studying and managed to pass with mid 80. I was surprised that this test is mostly on networking in general and understanding of protocols. I'd say only a third or so was Solarwinds specific. I'm not complaining, but I did find it very strange. I thought it would have been very detailed stuff on alert creation, report writing, etc, but it just wasn't that in depth on those.

Sounds Good · July 2013

You guys are receiving the voucher through e-mail right?

cruwl · July 2013

No vouchers, you sign up via email, log into the web site and take the test.

Sounds Good · July 2013

cruwl wrote: »

No vouchers, you sign up via email, log into the web site and take the test.

earweed wrote: »

To register for the exam, simply complete the information below and email it directly to myself or to certification@solarwinds.com.

<omitted>

Upon receipt, we will create your test account and send you all the necessary information to access the online exam

you sure?

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

Yes. We are sure. Once you get the first mail response . You have to give in more details to them including the thwack id. Then you get another email giving you instructions and details on your test.

tpatt100 · July 2013

I got registered, they sent me back the information and said I get three attempts and up to a year to take it.

Sounds Good · July 2013

chanakyajupudi wrote: »

Yes. We are sure. Once you get the first mail response . You have to give in more details to them including the thwack id. Then you get another email giving you instructions and details on your test.

Yes I've done that. Original e-mail was sent Thursday using the method in the original post (no response yet). Then after I saw the extra thing to fill out on Friday, I filled it out then (no response yet).

What should I do?

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

You should wait. I am sure there must be at least a 100 requests from the forum itself. If you dont get anything by Monday you can send out another mail to Patrick Hubbard whose email address you should get from this thread.

Cheers

Chanakya

Slowhand · July 2013

I ran into one issue for folks to be aware of: while taking the test on a Windows 7 machine using Chrome, my session timed out after 40 minutes citing no browser activity. I'm checking with SolarWinds if I can restart that first attempt, but for right now it just has a big ol' question mark on it.

kurosaki00 · July 2013

Sent my info and got a reply back within 12 hrs

Will hopefully take it first week august

HP_Guy · July 2013

I signed up yesterday. Got back my details 2 minutes after sending all of the information! The email I got says that there is no time limit to take the exam.

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

Hp_Guy - There is no time limit once you get the login details for the exam.

Once they are ready to give the exams at a cost you will no longer be able to get a new login.

I spoke to Patrick who is heading the Cert program regarding the time limits etc.

Hope you post your feedback of the exam and the results in this thread so that everyone knows how the exam went and what extra resources you have used to ace the exam !

Wishing you the best of luck !

Chanakya

nkillgore · July 2013

Sent an email yesterday. Got the full credentials a couple of hours ago. Took the exam (what the heck, I had three attempts). Passed with an 80%. Not the best score ever, but there was also absolutely zero preparation. I have used their software for the past 6 months or so. I don't want to offend anyone, but I'm not sure how giving away 3 exam attempts for a test that can be taken online is going to give a certification any value at all, especially when it is that easy.

cruwl · July 2013

I agree with nkillgore, I would have really liked to see a lot more Orion based questions and less networking stuff. More on Alerts, reports, ect oh well.

kurosaki00 · July 2013

I have my share of knowledge of networks
I also work A LOT with Nagios
would this (nagios) be relevant with solarwinds?
I dont know how similar are the tools

cruwl · July 2013

I think all the same theory type questions would be the same, or transfer from nagios. I had a few Config/account management questions. But honestly I had never even seen/done any account management stuff in SW and I felt like I could make educated guesses and pick the right answers.

I say just sit down and take it.

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

nkillgore - Congratulations on the pass !

I see that you have already updated your bio with the cert !

Did you get a print cert or do you wait for the mail ?

nkillgore · July 2013

kurosaki00 wrote: »

I have my share of knowledge of networks
I also work A LOT with Nagios
would this (nagios) be relevant with solarwinds?
I dont know how similar are the tools

It can't hurt to take it once. They give you three attempts. 60-70% of it is on SNMP/Netflow. The other is on the basics of the Orion interface. The answers are usually fairly obvious on those sections.

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

Any others write the exam ?

pert · July 2013

nkillgore wrote: »

Sent an email yesterday. Got the full credentials a couple of hours ago. Took the exam (what the heck, I had three attempts). Passed with an 80%. Not the best score ever, but there was also absolutely zero preparation. I have used their software for the past 6 months or so. I don't want to offend anyone, but I'm not sure how giving away 3 exam attempts for a test that can be taken online is going to give a certification any value at all, especially when it is that easy.

Yeah, I basically agree. Though it cost me nothing and only an hour of time. I do know Solarwinds well, this might help prove it to HR. I don't understand why the test is so networking/protocol specific either. There is A LOT of very important Solarwinds knowledge that is not tested on, like how to created advanced alerts for X scenario, how to create meaningful alert emails using variables, how to create alert dependencies, how to properly setup a view/report given a list of criteria, how to add a specific OID to be tracked and create the proper view for it, how to create and use Custom Properties to meet a specific guideline, etc. That is the stuff I think about when I visualize a Solarwinds test. I wasn't imagine questions about what port does xy or z use, what is in the header of these flow packets, etc. While the Solarwinds guy is typically also a network guy, I don't really think he has to know stuff like that. Or at the very least, he needs to know the other things I mentioned before worrying about that.

chanakyajupudi · July 2013

I believe there are certs that are of levels. This is only the start.

The advanced ones though are not going to be free like this.

Solarwinds Certified Professional - Free Cert - How to

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